It has now warned principals and head teachers against entertaining private educational institutes in government schools for organising seminars or activities as this may ‘lure’ students to enroll themselves in such institutes.

The Punjab government has been making several efforts to protect the strength of its students in government schools. It has now warned principals and head teachers against entertaining private educational institutes in government schools for organising seminars or activities as this may ‘lure’ students to enroll themselves in such institutes.

The directive was issued by the Punjab education department after receiving several complaints pertaining to such activities. The order, dated February 7, says “counselling teams” of some private polytechnic and engineering colleges have been visiting government schools and urging students, especially those in Classes X and XII to take admission in their institutes. “It is learnt that many school heads are facilitating these private bodies to conduct such seminars and are accepting costly gifts in lieu of providing such facilities,” said sources in the education department, adding that students are attracted by showing videos promising a “bright future.” Students then put pressure on their parents to send them to such institutes, which put unnecessary financial burden on them,” read a letter from the office of secretary (education) Punjab.

“Also, these activities waste a lot of time of the students and staff in government schools,” said a school principal in Jalandhar.

Sources said all the school heads have been advised that all efforts must be made that the students who have taken admission in the government schools must not leave to take admission in private education institutes before completing their Class XII.

“We have advised the school heads that students must be motivated that after their schooling they should first prefer admission in government colleges,” said a senior officer.